The energy of a story rises and falls in a somewhat predictable nature based on the Universal Story Form. Consider, therefore, the placement of your scenes that carry the highest emotional impact. The scenes in the Beginning (1/4) have less conflict, tension, and suspense than do the scenes that come in the End (final 1/4). Think of story as energy rising ever higher to each of the major turning points (End of the Beginning scene, Halfway point scene, Crisis, Climax) and often falling after …
Mystery and Romance Genres
In filling out the standard Character Emotional Plot Information (see **below), writers who write in the mystery genre invariably list the character goal as solving the mystery. Writers who write in the romance genre invariable list the character goal as finding love or to get the guy. This is fine.However, to create more complexity to your plot, you may want to give the protagonist an additional goal(s) as well. The protagonist has a life, and thus, goal, before the mystery hits or before the …
Best Websites for Writers by Writer’s Digest
Writer's Digest Magazine recently award Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers as one of 101 Best Websites for Writers in 2009.Whittled down from 2,700 nominations, this year -- the 11th -- the list of 101 Best Websites for Writers is divided into eight sections. That Plot Whisperer fit in "Publishing Resources" makes me consider the blog differently than I have in the past. Plot Whisperer is the blog for Blockbuster Plots for Writers. As such, it started as a place for writers to read weekly …
But Am I Good Enough?
Though not often spoken aloud, I hear the fear whispered in many of the plot consultations I provide to writers. I know answering a question with a question is not always helpful, but the query begs a list of qualifiers:Are you good enough for what?Good enough to make time for your writing?Good enough to put the right words together to evoke just the right emotion?Good enough to come up with a compelling plot, engaging characters, a deeper meaning?Good enough to finish what you started?Good …
Formatting for Submission
Same writer as in the previous post has finished her outline, synopsis, and bio, and her entire book has been edited and is now ready to go out to interested agents.In making sure her attachments can be opened -- some problems arose earlier because instead of word doc files, she had gif files and docx files I could not open -- this time I could open. When I did, I caught a couple of issues which I addressed in an email, a portion of which I include here:Comments on formatting (these are no …
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